§ Lord CHARLES BERESFORDasked the Secretary of State for War if he will inform the House what is believed to be the longest possible non-stop flight, measured both by time and by miles, that the best of our military or naval aeroplanes are capable of, carrying not less than two persons, including pilot; what is the longest distance flown in one non-stop flight by an Army or Navy aeroplane carrying two people, including the pilot; and the longest time that an Army or Navy aeroplane has remained in the air carrying two people, including the pilot?
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§ Colonel SEELYB.E. 2 machines are fitted with tankage for approximately four hours' flight or about 280 miles in still air. The longest flight carried out by an officer of the Military Wing, without landing, is 249 miles, which took four and a half hours. Another officer, unaccompanied by a passenger, flew about 516 miles in one day. His actual flying time was six and a quarter hours, and he landed twice for fuel. As regards the last question, the time for an Army aeroplane is four and a half hours. The question with regard to Navy aeroplanes should be addressed to the Admiralty.
Excise (Opium and Other Drugs). Amount of Drug Consumed. Number of Shops Licensed. Gross Revenue. — 1901–2. 1906–7. 1911–12. 1901–2. 1906–7. 1911–12. 1901–2. 1906–7. 1911–12. Bengal— £ £ £ Seers. Seers. Seers. Opium. 1,651 1,313 1,022 174,685 156,779 150,753 92,857 84,890 66,783 Other drugs 3,274 2,794 2,169 213,224 187,472 206,238 247,025 186,628 158,973 Bihar and Orissa— Opium — — 661 — — 78,708 — — 36,379 Other drugs — — 1,734 — — 147,713 — — 124,690 Eastern Bengal & Assam— Opium — 1,157 — — 173,309 — — 74,578 — Other drugs — 1,308 — — 110,855 — — 73,557 — Assam— Opium 775 — 409 114,067 — 168,157 48,217 — 60,279 Other drugs 297 — 257 26,317 — 45,923 422,622 — 34,593 United Provinces— Opium 1,175 1,199 1,131 53,256 56,504 74,541 62,301 68,864 61,810 Other drugs 3,653 3,721 3,517 87,740 131,911 133,823 446,458 291,787 305,178 Punjab— Opium 1,456 1,301 911 39,356 48,659 73,620 52,798 59,907 63,481 Other drugs 1,250 979 574 18,942 35,683 46,818 123,782 116,779 121,287 North-West Frontier Province— Opium 84 95 70 2,497 3,468 6,579 2,535 2,637 2,825 Other drugs 84 97 75 2,427 4,354 5,111 9,598 9,602 10,363 Burma— Opium 56 126 124 205,338 307,587 228,418 38,882 74,731 53,120 Other drugs* — — — 1 — 9 — — — Central Provinces and Berar— Opium 1,173 1,120 1,044 63,421 123,288 144,917 23,583 55,459 59,559 Other drugs 1,297 1,233 1,110 14,683 29,901 42,040 28,515 53,416 57,682 Madras— Opium 1,190 1,121 955 49,480 60,687 102,008 35,629 45,943 53,209 Other drugs 523 636 617 16,856 31,914 42,105 40,877 47,636 48,811 Bombay— Opium 831 811 789 40,409 52,194 64,708 34,742 37,277 45,955 Other drugs 538 571 569 14,606 29,601 48,047 30,607 51,796 62,095 Sind— Opium 297 279 251 8,734 12,665 15,991 11,051 9,421 10,278 Other drugs 515 498 506 16,895 22,351 33,931 108,465 112,365 128,933 * 1901-2 figures exclude Berar. N.B.—"Other drugs" comprises, generally speaking, hemp drugs, but in some provinces shops licensed for the sale of cocaine, morphia, etc., are included.